Shoulder Doc Part 2

The saga continues . . .
(Don't read this if you are easily bored by shoulders)

I had my MRI scan and shoulder xray on Tuesday this week and then my follow up appointment with the shoulder surgeon on Wednesday. The diagnosis has changed again! Help.

Last week the shoulder doc had thought that all my problems were coming from tendonopathy of the long head of the biceps and was all set to cut it out and reattach it to my bone. According to the MRI scan though my biceps appears relatively normal and healthy. Also there appears to be no problems with the SLAP repair or any further rotator cuff tears. What the MRI scan did show was signs of scar tissue and adhesive capsulitis - basically 'frozen shoulder'. The capsule of tissue around the shoulder gets tight and inflamed and stuck.  This may be a result of the capsule being over tightened during the previous surgery, or perhaps I re-injured it in my recovery or perhaps I'm just unlucky. Normally this happens straight after shoulder surgery - the doctor couldn't say why my shoulder was fine for two years and then became inflamed. It also doesn't fully explain the problem with I've had with my biceps, though I've since googled this and discovered other people have described the same problem with frozen shoulder - that the biceps is painful and its as if its trying to 'wring' itself out or wrench itself off my arm.

While some of my symptoms don't match a classic frozen shoulder - especially the fact I've always felt a good range of motion in my arm; in normal frozen shoulder the shoulder/arm becomes completely stuck - many other symptoms do ring a bell: the pain, the slow and torturous recovery, the fact that putting my arm above my head or behind my back brings it on.

It can take a couple of years for the frozen shoulder to resolve and there is no magic fix. Apparently it just goes away eventually. There is no need for surgery. The doctor advised physiotherapy and if it still doesn't improve then a corticosteriod injection would be next. If there's still no improvement after a few months, or if the shoulder settles but the biceps problems remain I am to go back and see the surgeon again.

Here are some links to explain it further if you're really interested:

http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/articletile.asp?article=55&section=16&tile=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesive_capsulitis_of_shoulder

It feels like a mix of good and bad news at the moment and we are still trying to work out where it leaves us. Its disappointing I don't have one obvious thing wrong with my arm which can be easily fixed by an Op and then back to normal. But then it is good news I don't need another operation right now and with good physio I might soon get my arm back and then back to work. But what then if it flares up again?

At least I am happy that the correct tests have been done and I have a definitive diagnosis and if I have any more problems I can go straight back to the shoulder surgeon. I am no longer just waiting and waiting in pain and frustration. My arm is improving every day now with the physio and I should be rid of the sling in the next week. I am really looking forward to being able to eat my dinner with two hands, to be able to cook and drive and hopefully be able to hold our baby when it comes. Fingers crossed.

So that is the end of the shoulder saga for now. I promise to not mention it again for a while but I will quietly keep you up to date with my progress.